Junonia evarete, Tropical Buckeye

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Freshly emerged male

Egg

Final instar larva

Description: 23-28 mm. The band on the forewing is pinkish white and does not extend all the way down the outer edge of the eyespot. The ventral side is the best way to differentiate as it is brick reddish in color. Wings are dark brown with reddish orange band around outer margin. Eye spots are smaller than common buckeye. 

 

Habitat and Distribution: This species flies in the Bahamas and the Antilles islands. In Florida there are a few places where it is common such as in Everglades National Park. They live in grassy weedy fields where the host plant lives. There have been colonies established in Key Largo but we have not seen this butterfly in the Keys in the late 90's through to the present.

 

Host Plant: Blue Porterweed (Stachytarpheta jamaicensis)

 

Natural History: This is an established stray from the Caribbean. It is a handsome little butterfly that is hard to find at times but where it lives it can be locally common. 

 

Chrysalis

Freshly emerged male

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